Truck mix meter



y 1931. J. F. ROBE 1,805,373

TRUCK MIX METER Filed May 2, 1930 &

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Patented May 12, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN F. R033, CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR-TO KOEHRING COMPANY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION TRUCK MIX METER Application filed May 2, 1930. Serial No. 449,299.

Concrete mixing machines, as commonly used today, especially those which mix concrete aggregates for the construction of concrete roads, are required to be equipped with what is known as a batchmeter. This batchmeter is a timing device which indicates and controls the time that each batch of concrete is required to be agitated in the mixer, before it may be discharged from the machine ready for use. The device is a protective device to insure mixing of the concrete in that minimum of time which may be specified by the regulations governing the particular job upon which the machine is used.

More recently. there have been developed different types of mixing machines known as truck mixers, wherein the concrete aggregates may be fed to a mixing drum upon a truck, and conveyed while dry, to the place where they are to be used.

When the truck arrives as such place, water transported with the truck is caused to be fed to the mixing drum and the drum is started into action to mix the dry ag regates with the water preliminary to rendering the'plastic for use.

Upon truck mixer machines of this class, the ordinary construction of batchmeter is not adapted to be used because said batchmeter is ordinarily set into operation by the movement of a supply hopper or skip so known in the art.

It is the purpose of the present invention to adapt a batchmeter for use upon truck mixing machines of the class above referred to.

Drawings Figure 1 is a side view of a truck mixer to which my invention has been applied.

Figure 2 is a general fragmentary perspective view showing the various operating parts of my device.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view more clearly showing the gear devices cooperative with the batchmeter.

Description of machine My truck mixer comprises the usual truck A, which may be of any known type, and the mixing drum B which is mounted thereon, but which does not normally rotate when the truck is in transit to the site where the aggregates are to be mixedand deposited. The mixer B is preferably a rotative drum having ring gears C surrounding it, and supported on suitable bearing rollers, not shown. The drum B is adapted to be rotated by a suitable engine shown generally at 1, and havin a longitudinal drive shaft 2 equipped with a gear shown in dotted lines at 3 in Figure 1, which gear meshes with the teeth of the front gear ring C so that when the engine 1 is in operation by the use of any suitable clutch mechanism, later described, it may be caused to drive the drum B and rotate the same for mixin action.

On the framework of the mac ine is supported a water tank 4 having a cap 5 at its top the removal of which enables water to be supplied to the tank in a measured quantity. The tank 4 is carried by suitable vertical guide rods 6, and is yieldably supported by means of springs 7 encircling the guide rods and bearing upwardly against the roller bracket 8 connecting the tank to the guide rods. One or more of the guide rods and springs 6 and Tmay be employed.

A water feed pipe 9 leads from the bottom of the tank to a hopper 10 which supplies the water and the dry aggregates in measured quantity to the drum B.

In actual use, the truck mixer is loaded at a central plant from which a measured quantity of dry ag regates such as sand, cement and gravel is od into the drum B. At this central plant, water of a measured quantity is introduced into the tank 4.

The batchmeter which I employ with this truck mixer is designated 11 in Figures 1 and 2. The construction of this batchmeter is like that of Trester Patent No. 1,532,277 of April 7th, 1925, which comprises an operating rod 12 for setting the batchmeter into operation to start its timing and controlling c cle. The batchmeter mechanism is actuated a shaft 13 provided with a pinion 14 meshing with the front ring gear C of the drum B, this being the type of construction in the patent referred to. Since the mechanism of the batchmeter is the same as in said patent, such mechanism will not be described.

Now referring to Figure 2, I show a water control valve in the pipe 9 which leads from the tank 4 to the hopper 10. A valve arm 16 for said valve is connected by a rod 17 to the arm 18 of a main control lever 19 settable in adjusted positions by a toothed sector 20 and latch 21 of common type.

The lever 19 has a locking lug 22 engageable by a rod 23, the upper end of which is in the path of movement of the lower bracket 8 of the water tank 4. Normally, a spring 24 tends to raise the rod 23 to disengage its lower end from the locking lug 22 of lever 19. The lever 19 has an abutment 19a adapted to strike the upper end of a clutch shifting rod 25, the lower end of which is connected to a bell crank 26 adapted to throw the clutch member 27 on the shaft 2 into engagement with a clutch member 28 on a shaft 29 driven by the engine 1.

The clutch shifting rod is pinned or otherwise connected firmly to an arm 30a, of a rack bar 30, suitably slidable on the rear side of the batchmeter casing. The teeth of the rack bar 30 mesh with the pinion 31 on a shaft 32 which carries still another pinion 33 that meshes with a rack bar 34 attached to the upper end of the setting rod 12. The pinion 31 is loose on the shaft,32 but adapted to be rotatably connected with said shaft by ratchet and pawl means designated 35 and 36 respectively.

The lower end of the setting rod 12 is connected with one end of the cam lever 37 which cooperates with a roller 38 on the end of a horizontal actuating rod 39 which connects with the bell crank lever 40, said lever 40 being adapted to operate a lock bar 41 by which the discharge 42 of the mixing drum B may be locked against opening until certain operating actions have taken place. A spring 43 normally holds the rod 39 with its roller 38 contacting with the cam 37.

Operation of the invention It is assumed that the tank 4 has been supplied with the measured quantity of water and the drum B with a measured quantity of dry aggregates such as cement, sand and gravel. The truck A is then driven to the site where the concrete is to be mixed and used.

On arriving at the site, the operator pulls down on the lever 19 until the lug 22 engages the locking rod 23. This opens the valve of the tank 4 and permits the water therein to pass to the drum B. The water being removed from the tank 4, said tank raises a short distance by being lifted by the spring or springs 7 Thereupon, the lever 19 has its lock lug 22 released from the rod 23 and the lever 19 may be forced downward sufiiciently to move the clutch member 27 into engagement with the clutch member 28, causing the shaft 2 carrying the member 27 to be operated thereby communicating motion from the engine to the drum B to revolve the latter. When the lever 19 was moved downwardly the last time just mentioned, its abutment 19a struck the rod 25, and pulled downwards upon the rack bar 30 thereby rotating the pinion 31 contrabiockwise, and turning the shaft 32 and the pinion 33 so as to raise the rack bar 34.

In this way, the setting rod of the lever 12 is raised and sets or starts the batchmeter into operation after the same manner that this part is caused to operate in the Trester patent, previously mentioned. The setting or starting rod 12 is locked temporarily in its upper set position by the above operation. The raising of the setting or starting rod 12 elevates the cam lever 37 and causes its cam to force the rod 39 to the right and set the locking bar 41 in a position preventing the opening of the door 42 of the mixer or drum B.

There then ensues a time period of control of the mixing operation during which the drum B is compelled to make a certain number of revolutions and in which time, the door 42 cannot be opened to discharge the contents of the mixing drum. After the batchme-ter has been in operation this redetermined time, usually a minute and a ialf or two minutes, the starting rod 12 is released by the batchmeter mechanism and suddenly moved downwards.

It also should be observed in Fig. 3 that the pinion 33 is freely rotatable on the shaft 32 and is provided with a one-way acting dog clutch face 33. Splined to the shaft 32 and movable into and out of engagement with the clutch face 33' of the pinion 33 is a clutch member 33" which when in the position shown establishes driving relation between the shaft 32 and the pinion 33.

A bell crank clutch shifter yoke 33 engages the clutch 33", said yoke being pivotably supported on the standard 33. The long arm of the clutch shifter yoke 33 has an offset portion 33 and finally terminates in the resilient blade portion 33 lying in the path of the two pins 34' projecting from the rack bar 34.

A snap-over spring 33 connects the offset portion 33 at one end and extends across the yoke pivot at one side thereof, connecting with the arm 33 projecting laterally from the standard 33. The lower pin 34' on the rack bar 34 engages the blade portion of the shifter yoke just after the rack bar 34 is raised by the downward movement of the razk 30 incident to the setting of the batchmeter, and as the batchmeter is set the shifter yoke is moved to disengage the clutch members 33 and 33" to free the pinion 33 from operative connection with the shaft 32. As the axis of the spring 33 passes the pivotal center of the shifter yoke 33, the spring assists in shifting the yoke and also holds the clutch when shifted in its respective positions.

Since the clutch is thrown out incident to the setting of the batchmeter, the rack bar 34 is now free to drop down incident to the release of the batchmeter at the end of the predetermined mixing period as governed thereby. When this release takes place, the parts again shift to the osition as shown in Fig. 1, which, due to t e dropping of the latch bar, causes the clutch shifter yoke to be again moved to clutch engaging position, to be subsequently actuated incident to movement of the rack bar 30. r

The action of the starting rod 12 in moving downwards, rocks the cam lever 37 downward, releasing its pressure on the rod 39, and permits the spring 42 to pull the locking bar 41 out of the way of the door 42. Thereupon, the operator may open the door and during the continued rotation of the drum B, the blades therein deliver the mixed concrete to the discharge chute 44, and the concrete may be supplied to any site or place of deposit.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that I have designed mechanism cooperative with an ordinary well known type of batchmeter whereby to control the mixing of concrete aggregates properly in a truck mixer type of machine.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent of the United States, is

1. In combination, a truck mixer type of concrete mixing machine, comprising a mixing drum and discharge means, a lock device for said discharge means to prevent opening thereof, means for setting the mixing drum into operation, a batchmeter controlling said dscharge means, and instrumentalities between the means for setting the mixing drum into operation and said batchmeter to control starting of the latter.

2. In a truck mixer type of mixing machine, comprising, a true a mixing drum thereon, together with a discharge for said mixing drum, a lock device for the discharge, a batchmeter controlling said lock device to release it at a predetermined time, power means, a device to connect the power means with the mixing drum to start the latter into operation, and connections between said device and the batchmeter to set the batchmeter into operation at the time the power means is connected with the mixing drum to start its operation.

3. In a truck mixer type chine, comprising, a. truc a. mixing drum thereon, together with a dischargejor said mixing drum, a lock device for the discharge, a batchmeter controlling said lock device to release it at a predetermined time, power means, a device to connect the ower means with the mixing drum to start t e latter into of mixing ma:

o oration, and connections between said device and the batchmeter to set the batchmeter into operation at the time the power means is connected with the mixing drum to startits operation, water supply means for the mixing drum, and instrumentalities between the water supply means and the above mentioned device, whereby the latter is controlled by the water supply means.

4. In a truck mixer type of mixing ma-- chine, comprising, a truck, a mixing drum thereon, together with a discharge for said mixing drum, a lock device for the discharge, a batchmeter controlling said lock device to release it at a predetermined time, power means, a device to connect the power means with the mixing drum to start the latter into operation, and connections between said device and the batchmeter to set the batchmeter into operation at the time the power means is connected with the mixing drum to start its operation, a water supply tank for supplying water to the mixing drum, valve means to control said supply of water to the drum from the tank and a locking member normally preventing the operation of said device to start the mixing drum into action until water has been supplied to the drum from the supply tank.

5. In a truck mixer type of mixing machine, comprising, a truck, a mixing drum thereon, together with a discharge for said mixing drum, a lock device for the discharge, a batchmeter controlling said lock device to release it at a predetermined time, power means, a device to connect the power means with the mixing drum to start the latter into operation, connections between said device and the batchmeter to set the batchmeter into operation at the time the power means is 1 connected with the mixing drum to start its operation, a water supply tank for supplying water to the mixing drum, valve means to control said supply of water to the drum from the tank, and a locking member normally preventing the operation of said device to start the mixing drum into action until water has been supplied to the drum from the supply tank, and means for operat ng said locking device incident to the emptying of the supply tank whereby to release the above mentioned locking member.

6. In combination, a truck mixer type of mixing machine, comprising a truck, a mixing drum thereon, an engine for rotating the of aggregates should be mixed in the drum,

and means for startingthe batchmeter into operation controlled from said clutch means.

7? In combination, a truck mixer, including a power plant, a mixing drum, a discharge for said drum, :1 batchmeter adapted to govern the time when the discharge of the drum should be operated, and means for operatively connecting the power plant to drive the drum in turn operatively connected to the batchmeter to start said batchmeter into operation.

8. In combination, a truck mixer, including a power plant, a mixing drum, a discharge for said drum, a batchmeter adapt ed to govern the time when the discharge of the drum should be operated, and means for opcratively connecting the power plant to drive the drum in turn operatively connected to the batchmeter to start said batchmeter into operation, simultaneously with the connecting of the power plant to the drum, water supply means for the drum, and means connecting the water supply means with the driving connections between the power plant and drum so that the power plant cannot operate the drum until water has been supplied to the latter from the water supply means.

9. In combination, a truck mixer connecting a power plant and mixing drum, a discharge for the drum, a batchmeter, a lock device for the discharge controlled from the batchmeter, driving clutch connections between the power plant and said drum for setting the drum into operation, and means for rendering said clutch connections operatlve, connected with the batchmeter to control the operation of the latter.

10. In combination, a truck mixer connecting a power plant and mixing drum, a discharge for the drum, a batchmeter, a lock device for the discharge controlled from the batchmeter, driving clutch connections between the power plant and said drum for setting the drum into operation, and operating means for said clutch driving connections, including a setting device operated thereby to start the batchmeter into action at the same time that the power plant is drivingly connected with the drum to set the latter into operation.

11. In combination, a truck mixer comprising a truck and mixing drum thereon, a power plant, clutch mechanism for connecting the power plant to the drum for turning the latter, a control lever for said clutch mechanism to render the same operative, a batchmeter for timing the proper operation of the drum for mixing, and means to connect said control lever to set the batchmeter into operation when the lever is actuated to render said clutch mechanism operative.

12. In combination, a truck mixer comprising a truck and mixing drum thereon, a power plant, clutch mechanism for connecting the power plant to the drum for turning the latter, a control lever for said clutch meihanism to render the same operative, a batchmeter for timing the proper operation of the drum for mixing, and means to connect said control lever to set the batchmeter into operation when the lever is actuated to render said clutch mechanism operative, a discharge for the drum, a lock for preventing operation of said discharge, and means connecting the batchmeter with said lock to release the lock at the end of each batchmeter. operation.

13. In combination, a truck mixer comprising a truck and mixing drum thereon, a. power plant, clutch mechanism for connecting the power plant to the drum for turning the latter, a control lever for said clutch mechanism to render the same operative, a batchmeter for timing the proper operation of the drum for mixing, means to connect said control lever to set the batchmeter into operation when the lever is actuated to render said clutch mechanism operative, a water supply tank associated with the drum to supply water thereto, valve means for causing the water to pass from the tank to the drum, and a connection between said valve means and said control lever.

14. In combination, a truck mixer comprising a truck and mixing drum thereon, a power plant, clutch mechanism for connectingthe power plant to the drum for turning the latter, a control lever for said clutch mechanism to render the same operative, a batchmeter for timing the proper operation of the drum for mixing, means to connect said control lever to set the batchmeter into operation when the lever is actuated to render the said clutch mechanism operative, a water supply tank associated with the drum to supply water thereto,valve means for 100 causing the water to pass from the tank to the drum, and a connection between said valve means and said control lever, together with lock means operated incident to the passing of the water from the tank to the 105 drum for releasing the control lever to enable the latter to render the clutch mechanism operative.

15. In combination, a truck mixer comprising a truck, a rotating mixing drum, 110 a power plant to turn the drum, clutch means between the power plant and drum, a lever to operate said clutch means to connect the power plant and drum,

a batchmeter, a connection between the said 115 lever and the batchmeter to start the batchmeter into operation when the lever is actuated to clutch the power plant to the drum for actuation of the latter, a connection between the batchmeter and the drum to drive 120 the batchmeter from the drum, a discharge for the drum, and means to lock said discharge releasable by the batchmeter.

16. In combination, a mixer for concrete,

a motor to drive the mixer, a control device 125 to drivingly connect the motor and mixer,

an instrumentality for causing discharge of the mixer, and means for controlling said instrumentality from the said control device.

1?. Combined means as set forth in claim 1 16 in which the last means includes a timing mechanism that locks the said discharging instrpmentality for a predetermined period of time.

18. In combination, a mixer for concrete, :1 motor to drive the mixer, a control device to drivingly connect the motor and mixer, an instrumentality for causing discharge of the mixer, means for controlling said instrumentality from the said control device, and a water supply for the mixer having locking cooperation limiting the action of ithe discharging instrumentality.

19. In combination, a mixer for concrete, a motor to drive the mixer, a control device to drivingly connect the motor and mixer, an instrumentality for causing discharge of the mixer, means for controlling said instrumentality from the said control device, and a water supply for the mixer having locking cooperation limiting the action of the control device for drivingly connecting the mixer and motor.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOHN F. ROBB.

16 in which the last means includes a timing nechanlsm that locks the said discharging igsirumentahty for a predetermined period 0' nne.

18. In combination, a mixer for concrete,

:1 motor to drive the mixer, a control device to drivingly connect the motor and mixer, an instrumentality for causing discharge of the mixer, means for controlling said instrumentality from the said control device, and a water supply for the mixer having locking cooperation limiting the action of the discharging instrumentality. I

19. In combination, a mixer for concrete,

1n testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JOHN F. ROBB.

DISCLAIMER 1,805,373.J0hn F. Robb, Cleveland Heights, Ohio. TRUCK MIX METER. Patent dated May 12, 1931. Disclaimer filed July 12, 1933, by the assignee, Koehriag Company.

Hereby enters this disclaimer to that part of those claims annexed and forming a part of the said specification, which claims are numbered 6, 7, 16, and 17 of the Letters Patent, comprising the following words, to wit: x

In combination, a truck mixer type of mixing machine, comprising a truck, a mixing drum thereon, an engine for rotating the drum, means to clutch the engine to the drum to drive the drum for rotation, a batchmeter for governing the time during which a. batch of aggregates should be mixed in the drum, and means for starting the batchmeter into operation controlled from said clutch means.

In combination, a truck mixer, including a power plant, a mixing drum, a dischar e for said drum, a batchmeter adapted to govern the time when the discharge of the um should be operated, and means for operatively connecting the power plant to drive the drum in turn operatively connected to the batchmeter to start said batchmeter into operation. 1

In combination, a mixer for concrete, a motor to drive the mixer, a control device to drivingly connect the motor and mixer, an instrumentality for causing disch e of the mixer, and means for controlling said instrumentality from the said centre device.

Combined means as set forth in claim 16 in which the last means includes a. timing mechanism that locks the said discharging instrumentality for a predetermined period 0 time.

[Qficiwl Gazette August 8, 1938.]

DISCLAIMER 1,805,373.J0hn F. Robb, Cleveland Heights, Ohio TRUCK MIX METER, Patent dated May 12, 1931. Disclaimer filed July 12, 1933, by the assignee, Koehring Company.

Hereby enters this disclaimer to that part of those claims annexed and forming a. part of the said specification, which claims are numbered 6, 7, 16, and 17 of the Letters Patent, comprising the following words, to wit:

In combination, a truck mixer type of mixing machine, comprising a truck, a mixing drum thereon, an engine for rotating the drum, means to clutch the engine to the drum to drive the drum for rotation, a batchmeter for governing the time during which a batch of aggregates should be mixed in the drum, and means for starting the batchmeter into operation controlled from said clutch means.

In combination, a truck mixer, including a power plant, a mixing drum, a disch e for said drum, a batchmeter adapted to govern the time when the discharge of the um should be operated, and means for operativeiy connecting the power plant to drive the drum in turn operatively connected to the batchmeter to start said batchmeter into operation.

In combination, a mixer for concrete, a motor to drive the mixer, a control device to drivingly connect the mo tor and mixer, an instrumentality for causing disch e of the mixer, and means for controlling said instrumentality from the said contro de- V106.

Combined means as set forth in claim 16 in which the last means includes a timing nechanisim that locks the said discharging instrumentality for a predetermined period 0 time.

[Ojicial Gazette August 8, 1.933.] 

